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What Does Vitamin C Do for the Body?

Vitamin C strengthens bones and aids in iron absorption.

More info: Vitamin C is a necessary component in the collagen formation in bones, blood vessels, cartilage, and muscle.   Vitamin C is believed to possess powerful antioxidant properties. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 90 mg for adult males and 70 mg for adult females. This daily recommendation is easy to achieve for anyone that eats a well balanced diet including fruits and vegetables especially broccoli, strawberries, green peppers, and oranges.

Iron Absorption

Iron is essential to cell growth and transporting oxygen throughout the body.   About two-thirds of the body's iron is found in the red blood cells and can be replenished through food sources such as meat, fish, and beans.  Vitamin C helps the body to absorb iron, which is important when levels are low such as in cases of loss through menstruation, when physical changes such as pregnancy require higher levels, and in instances where iron sources are not as readily absorbed such as vegetarian sources like rice, soybean, and wheat.

Deficiency

Because vitamin C is found in many of the fruits and vegetables that we consume daily, severe vitamin C deficiencies, called scurvy, are rare.  Scurvy causes muscle weakness, tooth loss, gum problems, and slow healing of wounds.  The cure for scurvy is a simple regiment of vitamin C supplementation and morbidity is low.